"A book that can take a developer through the .NET framework, like a really good tour guide. The books examples are in C#, Managed C++ or VB.NET so you can actually see how to implement the features (would be nice if they had examples in C#, MC++ and VB --just so you could see the nuances between the languages). You can get this information for free online, but it would take hours just finding the details that Thai and Lam bring out. And all under one cover. Excellent!!!"
--spudman, Boise Software Developers Group, Feb 2003

"The book I found that achieves a reasonable balance between content breadth and technical depth..."
--Morgan Stanley connectivity global, Dec 2002

"The book is suitable for anyone who wants a quick introduction to .Net...it doesn't treat you like an idiot. If you are looking for an overview that doesn't take a couple of months to read then I can recommend this particular introduction to .Net. As the title suggests, it really is just the essentials."
--Mike James, Computer Shopper, December 2002

"--a concise overview of .NET programming. Thai and Lam hit the high points of the .NET Framework and class libraries very effectively. While this book has no pretensions to being complete, it's an excellent place to start if you're a programmer new to .NET."
--Martin Heller, Byte.com, June 2002

"This is a fast-paced title that is written with experienced developers in mind, which means solid technical content and no verbose explanations. It is a short book on a big subject, but with impressive depth in places, such as when the authors find space for example code in the low-level IL (Intermediate Language). That means it gives great insight into how the Framework fits together, but risks losing touch with more general readers. The material is of consistently high quality, making this an excellent book for .NET developers.
--Tim Anderson, amazon.co.uk

"This may be the best book for programmers new to the .NET platform. Not only does it get you started quickly, but also provides a quick reference to every major area of the new platform."
--Songmuh Jong, CompuNotes.com, May 2002

"Rating: 10/10; The most concise, up-to-date, no-nonsense guide to all of the capabilities of the .NET framework. O'Reilly is known for producing high quality books, and they have extended this into .NET."
--Craig Pfeifer, C#help.com, April 2002

"One of the best .NET books I've read so far is '.NET Framework Essentials' by Thuan Thai and Hoang Q. Lam...Even if you haven't loaded Beta 2 yet, '.NET Framework Essentials' is a fine way to start getting familiar with this brave new world of computing."
--Don Kiely, http://www.devx.com

"'.NET Framework Essentials' leverages the knowledge of working Windows programmers to put the .NET Framework in context. Think of it as a springboard high enough to give you an overall view of the technology and enable you to dive in. A clear and lucid introduction to a complex new set of technologies."
--Steve Patient, amazon.co.uk

Reviews From Previous Edition

Visual Systems Journal Reader Award for the "Book of the Year" Feb 2002